Nestle Says Goodbye To Artificial Coloring And Flavoring

March 5, 2015

Chocolate lovers, your prayers have been answered.

Nestle has announced the company will be removing “artificial flavors and FDA-certified colors, like Red 40 and Yellow 5, from all of its chocolate candy products,” according to a news release on BlogsRelease. Nestle plans to replace the artificial coloring and flavor with ingredients from natural sources. “We know that candy consumers are interested in broader food trends around fewer artificial ingredients,” noted Doreen Ida, President of Nestlé USA Confections & Snacks. “As we thought about what this means for our candy brands, our first step has been to remove artificial flavors and colors without affecting taste or increasing the price. We’re excited to be the first major U.S. candy manufacturer to make this commitment.”

Based on the 2014 Global Health & Wellness survey conducted by Nielsen, 60% of Americans say no artificial colors or flavors is important to their food purchase decisions.

But will it change the taste?

For chocolate lovers who have been eating these candies for years, the taste of these products is key. According to Leslie Mohr, Nutrition, Health and Wellness Manager for Nestlé Confections & Snacks, the company has already made sure that by altering the ingredients they have not changed the flavor.

“We never compromise on taste,” explained Mohr. “When making these changes to more than 75 recipes, maintaining the great taste and appearance consumers expect from the chocolate brands they know and love is our #1 priority. We conducted consumer testing to ensure the new recipe delivers on our high standards for taste and appearance.”